Bi-Fold Doors vs French Doors

Bi-Fold Doors Vs French Doors

When it comes down to the big decisions, everything isn't always as black and white as you would like it to be. Choosing between Bi-Fold doors and French doors can be a lot more complicated than what you might have first assumed. To have full faith in your decision you must be happy with all aspects of the door you are looking to have installed. Design, Colour, Maintenance and Pros & Cons of each door must all be considered before making the commitment. The aim of this blog is to aid you in making that decision and bring all the information to you.

What are French Doors:

French doors, also known as French windows, are doors of a custom size that are comprised of door profile and a larger glass panel each size. French doors can be selected to open in or open out and the possibilities of hinges, handles, glass designs and door colour is as limitless as they sound. French doors are commonly used to link the outer part of the home to the internal area of the home or even to bring two internal rooms together.

French Doors/ Bi Fold Doors

What are Bi-Fold Doors:

Unlike French doors and Sliding doors, Bi-Fold doors consist of three or more doors that fold back on themselves and sit flat against one or both walls, depending if they open in the middle or at the side. Similar to French doors, Bi Fold doors are a fantastic way to connect the exterior of your home with the interior.

Pros and Cons of Both Products

French Doors

Pros:

• Usually less expensive than Bi-Fold doors.
• Come in a variety of colours and glass designs.
• Allows more natural light into your home and provides a great view when closed. 
• Minimal maintenance required.
• Working parts generally last longer than Bi-Fold doors working parts

Cons:

• A sizable amount of space is taken up if you wish for open in doors rather than open out. 
• If you choose a clear glass design, privacy may be a concern.
• Although the doors are maintenance free, the windows will still need to be cleaned from time to time.
• Not Suitable for large openings.

Bi Fold Doors

Pros

• Can open up 90% of the area it's placed in.
• Can incorporate a single door for easy access if you don't wish for the full length of the door to be open. 

Cons:

• When the door is closed, the joints of the door panels can obstruct your view.
• You'll need to leave a free space either side of the doors as when folding they fold to 90°.
• With the cool temperate oceanic climate Ireland has, it's very likely that you'll be looking through your Bi-Fold doors rather than have them open. 
• When open, the Bi-Fold door can leave you feeling encroached from the space it takes up. 

Evaluation:

So when you're exploring the possibilities of buying a French door or Bi-Fold door, keep these things in mind. 

Space and opening: If you plan on installing your new doors into a large area with plenty of excess room available, the bi fold doors may be to your taste, however, if the room in question isn't as big as you'd like it to be, a sense of claustrophobia and suffocation may develop from the fold on the door encroaching into your home. 

Price: Don't be afraid to shop around. Be prepared to see 9/10 Bi-Fold doors are more expensive than French Doors.
Design, Style and Colour: Both products should have a range of colours and designs to choose form. This selection is completely up to your own preference so make sure you're happy with what you pick before you commit to your choice. 


When deciding on your supplier, make sure to shop around for the best product and best value for money. 

If you want to know what 10 questions to ask your installer, click here

If you want to know more about Harvest Energy, click here 


To get a free consultation or quotation you can contact us at (01) 8021800 or email us at info@harvestenergy.ie

Why Should I choose French Doors?

Why Choose French Doors?

Has the time come to allow some more light into the rear of your home? Not entirely sure what step to take to make this happen? Maybe it's time to consider French doors with a possible window combination. With our high security locking system and toughened a rated glass units, there is no need to compromise style and brightness for security. This blog is here to tell you all about the French doors. Pros, cons, benefits and where best to install them.

What are French Doors?

French doors, also called French windows, are doors of a custom size that are comprised of door profile and a larger glass panel each size. French doors can be selected to open in or open out and the possibilities of hinges, handles, glass designs and door colour is as limitless as they sound. French doors are commonly used to link the outer part of the home to the internal area of the home or even to bring two internal rooms together.

Benefits of French doors.

In addition to adding more brightness and style to your home, French doors have a range of advantages they can add to your home:

External Rear French Doors

• Creating a visual connection between adjoining rooms and the exterior and interior. 
• Expansion of your home when the warm weather arrives by allowing a flow from inside to outside without any boundary. 
• Allowing generous amounts of natural light into the room without letting heat escape.
• By adding brightness, the size of the room begins to feel larger and is utilized much better as there are no dead parts of the room. 

Where to install French Doors?

Exterior: French Doors are commonly used at the rear of the home to allow easy access to and from the back garden and hosting area. More recently, now that glass has become much more energy efficient and secure, it's also common to have French doors at the front of your home. French doors are being used more and more as an additional option to have in front of original single doors.

Interior: French doors can not only be used as a connector of two rooms but also as a divider of rooms. more uncommon areas but not totally off the wall ideas of where we have seen French doors installed is bathrooms and walk-in wardrobes. 

Tips to think through before buying French Doors.

• Decide if you want your french doors to open in or open out, the common preference is to open out to utilize valuable space. 
• Think about your glass design, when doors are closed will you want privacy? Ask about glass design options and if you're looking heat retention, choose Low E glass with argon gas filled units for ultimate energy efficiency. 
• Don't choose your French doors on the look only. Make sure you inspect the security locking system, insulation benefits of the doors, durability and maintenance of doors also if you're looking at getting external french doors. 

Pros vs Cons of French Doors
Pros

• Allows natural light into the home
• Provides a feeling of increased space and also helps utilize spaces that weren't as well lit initially. 
• Creates a visible and easy connection between rooms. 
• Less expensive than Sliding doors and Bi-Fold doors.
• Huge variety in profile colour, hinges, handles and glass design.
• Our uPVC French doors are virtually maintenance free and have a guarantee of 10 years on the profile. 

Cons

• If you decide to open doors in, there is a large requirement of floor space to allow for this.
• If a clear glass option is chosen to maximize natural light entering the home, there is not much security.
• More windows to clean.

If you would like to see how our glass units are manufactured, click here

If you would like to see a range of French doors we have supplied and fit accompanied by testimonials, click here

if you'd like a free quotation or consultation you can contact us at info@harvestenergy.ie or (01) 8021800

Internal Vs External Insulation

Internal Insulation vs External Insulation

If you live in a home where damp spots are a issue and constant heating is required to make the living conditions habitable, it might be time to consider making a couple of home improvements. A cold home is not only uncomfortable to live in but it can also lead to health issues and structural damages to the home if the problem becomes persistent throughout the year. 

Options to help improve your homes levels of heat retention range from installing new double glazed units to converting attic space. While cavity wall insulation may be a  viable option for some homeowners, there are plenty of homes across the country where it isn't practical to install. This is why this blog is solely directed at the benefits of internal and external insulation and which advantages out weigh the advantages of the other for you. 

Internal Insulation

Why Choose Internal?
Insulating your solid and cavity walls can cut your heating bills considerably, because you are losing a substantial amount of heat through your walls. The good news is that they can be insulated from the inside of your home. Correctly installed insulation can reduce heat loss through the fabric of the building, increasing the level of comfort for the homeowner. Internal wall insulation involves fixing a layer of rigid insulation to the inside of external walls, usually with a plasterboard finish. This is also referred to as dry-lining. An ideal opportunity to install internal insulation is when other work is already require. Some electrical/plumbing fittings may need to be removed temporarily for the walls to be insulated but they are re-fitted instantaneously when the insulation works are completed by the Harvest Energy Crew.

Advantages of Internal Insulation

• Dry Lining is quick and easy to install.
• Dry lining is a more cost efficient alternative to external insulation. 
• Internally dry lining walls will save you money in the long term due to up to 30% increase in home heating efficiency. 
• The carbon footprint of your home will be reduced due to the decrease of Co2 emissions being released from the house.
• Eliminates draughts. 
• Prevents frozen pipes.
• Improved B.E.R Rating.
• Reduces noise levels
• Increase in the value of the property. 

Disadvantages of Dry Lining

• Disruption to living arrangements for customers
• Room size reduction

Click here to read about the Dry Lining Process.

External Wall Insulation

Why Choose External?

External wall insulation provides exterior walls with insulation, finished surface and waterproofing in an integrated composite system. Because walls are areas where the house heat loss is one of the greatest reaching up to 35% of the overall, if they are not properly insulated, this is one of the most effective measures getting your home warmer and greener. External Wall Insulation (EWI) is a composite cladding system comprised of suitable insulation and waterproof coating which is applied to all the external walls of a building. The External Insulation uses the building like a reflector. Due to the heat no longer being able to escape through the outer layer of insulation, it is reflected back into the living areas, creating a constant warm home.

Click here to read about the External Insulation  Process

Advantages of External 

• No additional internal space taken up by insulation.
• Inside of the home not disturbed.
• The carbon footprint of your home will be reduced due to the decrease of Co2 emissions being released from the house.
• Eliminates draughts. 
• Prevents frozen pipes.
• Improved B.E.R Rating.
• Increase in the value of the property. 

Disadvantages of External:

• More Expensive than Internal dry lining.
• Generally takes longer to complete than the dry lining process. 

To see how else to make energy saving changes to your home, click this link!

Or if you're looking a surveyor to call out to you, contact us on info@harvestenergy.ie or (01) 8021800 

Extending Your Home

Extending your Home

When you make the decision to extend your home, it's not always easy to cover all your bases. We're here to help you get an idea of what you want before you bring your plan to the building contractor/ architect.

The first thing you'll need to cover before deciding whether or not you want to extend your home is, do you need planning permission? If you click the link here you'll be re-directed to the Citizens Information page that tells you everything you need to know

Why are you Extending

Consider firstly the purpose you want your extension to be built for. Of course, it sounds like an obvious question to be asking but there is a genuine reason behind it. You will need to take into consideration the effect the extension will have on the existing property.

 

What type of Extension?

If you decide to extend onto the side of your home or even convert the garage into part of the home, there won't be any real difficulties in allowing natural light to flow through the rooms. However, if you make the decision to extend onto the back of the house you will need to be careful of creating dark spaces between where the old room ends and the extension begins. To counteract this issue, we recommend inserting a velux window nearby or even turning your extension into a sunroom. With these two options there will be no limit on the light that can enter your home and certainly no dead spaces. Along with the help of your architect or building surveyor, you can design and create openings specifically for your home. If you decide to discuss the sunroom idea with your surveyor, choose a combination of windows and doors that you feel will be practical but also fit into the feel of your home.

Trends:

In the current market, open plan living is very popular. Requests to knock down internal walls and open up two rooms into one are a standard renovation when it comes to home remodelling and if you take a look at the picture to the right, you can see why! However, if you don't like the idea of spaciousness and would prefer each room to do its own thing, there is an option of introducing internal french doors or a sliding door to keep the divide. By introducing this concept to your home, you have the option of open plan for entertaining guests but also you can close the doors over and close a room off from the whole house when you're in search of a little "me" time.

Before asking for a consultation with your surveyor or architect, ensure you have a solid idea of what you're looking for. The meeting with the surveyor can be used to enhance ideas and provide a wider range of possibilities for you. A well constructed and engineered extension will add value to your property and will provide for all your needs that you were in the beginning of the process.

If you're thinking about extending or renovating your home, why not contact us on (01) 8021800 or email us as info@harvestenergy.ie to arrange a meeting

Where Can You Find Us?

Where Can You Find Us?

Having been founded in 2012, Harvest Energy have been working tirelessly towards gaining a strong and recognizable company name and brand image. This brand image has been developing in traditional and digital methods for the past 3 years.

Traditional Branding

Vehicles: 

Many people have shown admiration when recognizing our vehicles on the road. As I'm sure the locals will tell you, we pride ourselves on the attractiveness and vibrancy of our vehicles. All of our vehicles show the lists of works we provide, company logo and a contact number. All credit goes to Retink Graphics for the awesome job! 

Showroom:

In March 2015 we officially opened up our first showroom. Located at 4, Church Street, Skerries, Co.Dublin (opposite AIB Bank). 

Our showroom has a range of:

• Composite Doors, 
• Internal Doors, 
• A-Rated uPVC Windows
• Laminate Flooring. 
• Leaflets and Brochures for all our products.
• Second to none customer service that ensures all your questions and queries are answered. 

Digital: 

You can find us online at various addresses:

• PickaPro
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Harvest Energy.ie
• Google +
• Blogger
• Tradesman.ie
• National Guild of Master Craftsmen

Click any of the above links to see our latest offers, gallery of projects, testimonials and contact details.

Online Quotes

Get Your Quote Online Today!

Gone is the selling technique trend of the pushy sales rep and the hard sell tactics, many companies tried and tested these tactics only to figure the eventual conclusion - the customer needs time to reflect on a final decision. It's common in our industry that people from the domestic market and commercial market respectively may well just be looking a price for a future plan of buying. However, the unfortunate reality with this was that after getting the quote, you would have to repeatedly hear the words "sign up today to get.......". 

Companies have came to realize, people like to shop around! That's where our new software comes into play. No sales reps, no hard sells and no visitors overstaying their welcome. The only thing that's standing in the way of you and your quote is 7 Simple Steps.

**Please remember colour and designs are for pricing purposes only, there is a larger quantity of colours and designs in our brochures.**

Step 1

• Click onto our webpage www.harvestenergy.ie and click into the tab "online quotes". 
• After clicking the tab, you will get redirected to a page that looks exactly like this screenshot image below. 
• Feel free to watch the video tutorial for motioned step by step guide on how to get a quote online.

Step 2

• As you can see below, there are a variety of frame styles to choose from here.
• Select a frame you wish to get a quote for, then select the colour you wish your frame to be. As we have mentioned above, the colour and design range is larger in our brochure and this software is for pricing purposes only. 
• The door slab design will be chosen in the next step.

Step 3

• Select a Door Slab Design you would like to get a quotation for.
• Select your desired door slab colour.
• If you would like your door slab to be bi-coloured, (by this we mean one colour on the outside and one colour on the inside), see to the range of colours listed rosewood/white,oak/white, black/white.
• The bi-colour slab design will be slightly more expensive than a full colour door design due to higher production costs.

Step 4 

• Here you will chose your glass design. 
• Your glass design you choose for the door does not have to be the same in the sidelight if you do not wish for this. You can mention this in the comments section at the end. 

Step 5

• Incorporate the accessories you wish to have included in your door.
• Choose the colour of the handle, letterbox and knocker you would like.
• Depending on slab design, some accessories may not be possible e.g spyhole on a slab design similar to the slab image below.

Step 6

• Enter Height and Width, (measurement options are cm,mm and inch.)
• Select the door material you wish for, (Composite or uPVC Panel)
• If you would like the door to be supply only or supply and fit
• If you would like the door to open in or open outward (open out will mean that your door will open out from your home towards the drive way/ porch.)
• Enter any comments you would like to add
• Click the finalize button

Step 7

• This is a screenshot of the page you will be directed to after clicking the finalize button.
• Enter your details so as we can contact you with your quotation.
• Click the submit button.
• You should receive the quotation within 2 working days.

If you wish for to get your free quotations with absolutly no service fee or sign up requests, click the link provided

online quote

Replacement Windows

So, you’re thinking about replacement windows?

There are many reasons for changing your windows and/or doors and, unless you go for something completely out of left field, by choosing a style that doesn't blend in with the vibe of the property or you have went for a cheaper quote and have ended up with a product that lacks the quality and finesse you were after, you will improve the look and increase the value of your property by installing replacement windows.

To repair or to replace?

When old windows are suffering from rot,rust or general deterioration it is often the case where the most cost effective option in the long run would be to replace the whole window, including the frame rather than paying a call-out charge along with additional charges for works such as; replacing of hinges & locks, glass unit replacement due to seals breaking down over time and condensation then being an issue.

The improvement on your home appearance that come with a new supply and fitting of new A-Rated windows is incomparable. Replacing old fashioned, worn down windows with new styles, shapes, designs and colours really adds a fresh and attractive look to your home, not to mention the improvement in energy savings from your new A-Rated windows.

Other Benefits of Replacements

Improved Security

Burglary is becoming a larger issue nowadays with windows and doors being one of the most common break-in points. Many modern uPVC window systems incorporate extra security features including specially designed locks, toughened glass in the glass unit and steel reinforced frames to protect your home from any form of break-in.

Protection from Elements

If your windows suffer from one or more of these issues, it may be time to make the change.

• Curtains swaying from an external breeze getting through the window
• There's a cold air chill from a drafty window.
• Rain droplets on the inside of the window, commonly found on the window board.
• Condensation forming on the inside of glass units.

Reduce Noise Pollution

If you live on a busy road where traffic noise is an irritation, the installation of double-glazed windows will significantly decrease the amount of noise transmitted through your windows.

Increased Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency in windows saw a notable change when old single glazed windows were replaced for double glazed windows. Now, energy efficiency windows have made more improvements. All of our double glazed units are Argon Gas filled, use K glass and Warm Edge Spacer Bar to ensure an A-Rated grade. This helps to retain heat so you can turn down the heating a degree or two and save on fuel bills without compromising your comfort. 

Click the link to find out how we make our A-Rated Double Glazed Units > Here

Click the link to contact us about replacing your windows > Here

Click the link to see our latest offers on Energy Saving Windows > Here

Come see our showroom at 4, Church Street, Skerries, Co.Dublin or contact us on info@harvestenergy.ie